


You're a Bad Influence

by lordyuuri



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: A bit of drama, And then to fanfiction.net, Friendship, Gen, Maria is basically Niles's antithesis and That Is Good for Him, Originally Posted on the Fire Emblem Amino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 19:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13173297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordyuuri/pseuds/lordyuuri
Summary: and yet she still hangs around you. - friendship!niles & maria. originally posted on the fire emblem amino.





	You're a Bad Influence

Her older sister's words still echo in his mind. He's a scoundrel, an unsavory man. He shouldn't be allowed around anyone, especially children. He's a tainted man with a tainted past and a tainted future.

_"You're a bad influence on her. You cannot be trusted."_

Niles chuckled softly to himself. Minerva's words would have stabbed anyone else through their hearts, but for him, it was the same tune he has heard over and over. A broken record, never-ending.

Shit, there's no doubt about the kind of reputation the archer had - and still has. Rainbows and sunshine were never his thing - that much is evident through the words that drip from his saucy tongue.

But that girl - the girl named Maria - doesn't see that. She's probably ten, eleven - a naïve, innocent thing - and she doesn't see what her older sister sees. She doesn't see the truth that they all know. It must be wonderful, being a pristine porcelain doll in a dirtied world. How nice.

Normally, that kind of thing bothered him. That pure innocence, the blissful ignorance that many are blessed with. The truth sets those unlucky enough free, a fact Niles has known for as long as he could remember.

But Maria, sweet Maria, who had approached him and asked if he minded going on a walk in the forest with her, was different. Maria, who wished to heal those who have been hurt and gave them a smile to help ease the pain, willingly came to him with a sugary voice and a pink blush upon her face.

Perhaps it was a moment of weakness. Perhaps it was something else. Perhaps it was because she showed no fear towards him. But he couldn't let this girl walk alone, he couldn't let the innocence be ruined. Not yet, at least. Not while he's here. Not while the world, for her, was still good and hopeful.

He sighed to himself and turned his head slightly, a single eye looking down upon a small girl curled up in his cape. A shoddy, but well-meaning, makeshift blanket that this poor peasant could provide for royalty. She was in deep, peaceful slumber - ever so delicate. Today was an eventful day, filled with exploring the World of Awakening and all it had to offer for the redhead's imagination. And of course, he had accompanied her. He will always accompany her.

She moved slightly, just enough for Niles to see a small smile. For what, he does not know, but there were many reasons that the world offered, and they were all (refreshingly) positive.

Her sister's words come back to him. It was funny to Niles how right Minerva was, but yet still so wrong. A weird in-between, gray and blurry, but still good.

Maria does not see what her sister does. She doesn't see what they all see. Innocence reveals another side of things. Her own truth is what she sees, the truth the others refuse to see, that they have not considered. Her truth is a bit muddled by a child's trust, but it stills stands.

Niles chuckled again. How nice indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> niles and maria are on my main heroes team, and i had them support each other.  
> then i was like, "they could totally be friends".  
> and thus came this story.


End file.
